College squirrels gone wild? Using Sciurus carolinensis behavior to assess the ecosystem value of urban green spaces

Predicted rapid increases in urbanization the face of accelerating biodiversity loss underscores need for urban development that promotes, rather than displaces, native plants and animals. One approach increasing is through “green infrastructure”. Although research has explored urban-rural gradients overall value green infrastructure, few studies have investigated habitat wildlife different types greenspace. Here, we use a well-established metric ecology, giving up-densities (GUDs), to compare foraging costs common species, eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), among three infrastructure categories: municipal parks, college campuses, residential yards. We found GUDs squirrels did not differ significantly location categories after controlling proximity roads, but roads was associated with higher all locations. In an explicit test, also both traffic volume were GUDs. maximum distance from campuses parks yards, indicating greater proportion area “away roads” compared Our results indicate vehicle may contribute “urban landscape fear” suggest campus park configurations reduce road effects could improve quality possibly other